11th
March 2005
~ Metroline donates
a training bus for the Brent 'Destroy Violent Crime'
Campaign ~
 ComfortDelGro
subsidiary, Metroline and Brent Police have unveiled
a training
bus that has an anti- violent crime message designed
by youths from the Brent young offenders team. This
initiative was set up by the ‘Not Another Drop’ project
based in Brent with an aim to empower youths who
were subject to intensive surveillance and supervision
orders
to divert them away from gun and violent crime through
innovative use of their talents.
The
youths taking part in the scheme, worked with Crescent
Lodge, Design
Company to design eight images, four
focussing on violent crime and four focussing on
gun crime. These youths have, by their actions dropped
out of mainstream education and their participation
in this project was aimed at rekindling this learning
process. As part of the scheme, the youths were required
to demonstrate self-motivation, communication, innovation,
attendance, attitude, self-respect, pride of appearance
and work to non-negotiable dead lines.
As part of the design process, the youths discussed
what violent crime meant to them and the impact of
violent crime on the victims. These images were then
presented to the public at the ‘Peace March’,
held in Harlesden last summer and they were invited
to vote on their preferred image. As a result of this
voting process two images have been chosen to adorn
a single and a double-decker bus. Chief Superintendent
Andy Bamber, Brent Borough Commander, is unveiling
the single-decker ‘Violent Crime Bus’ today.
Metroline is supporting the initiative by donating
the use of one of their driver training bus. This
bus is used across the borough of Brent on a daily
basis
and will mean that the wider community sees the message.
Andy Bamber, Chief Superintendent for the MET Police,
said: “The Not Another Drop Campaign has many
different projects aimed at reducing gun crime in Brent.
This project, which focussed on violent as well as
gun crime, gave these youths the opportunity to look
at an alternative way of life to the one of which they
had embarked on.”
“
Violent crime takes many forms, from bullying to murder,
it can affect not only the victim, but also the
victim’s
family and friends and the wider community when
the fear of crime increases. It is hoped that the
bus will
raise public awareness and by doing so start the
discussions within the community, it is only by
raising awareness
that the community as a whole can look for solutions.”
Metroline
Managing Director, Steve McAleavy said: “Both
Metroline and our parent company ComfortDelGro,
take our responsibility within the community
very seriously,
both as a service provider and a significant
employer. We are delighted to play our part in
this initiative
and once again to be working in partnership with
our colleagues at Brent Police.”
-ENDS-
Note
to Editors:
Photo: The Brent ‘Destroy Violent Crime’ Bus
-Metroline is one of the top five London-based bus companies,
currently running 13.5% of the capital’s
bus services under contract to Transport for
London.
- Metroline carries 250 million passengers every year,
operates 96 routes, covers over 37.5 million
journey miles each year, employs almost 3700 people and runs
a fleet of over 1,200 buses in North, West
and Central London and South Hertfordshire.
- Metroline is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore
based ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited, which
is the world's second largest listed land transport company.Enquiries:
Nicola Vincent Head of Communications 020 8218
8831 |
